Box and method of making the same



'monly employed, for example, to hold jewelry, silverware,confectionery, and other small, fragile, or valuable articles.

Patented oct. 11, 1927.

UNITED sTATEs RUSSELL I.

RHODES, OF NOB'TH ATTLEBOBO, MASSACHUSETTS.

BOX AND METHOD MAKING THE SAME.

Application mea :une 5, 192s. serial No. 35,093.

rIhisy invention relates to boxes andto a method of making vthe same andmore particularly to boxes of the general type com` Gfoods of thecharacter above indicated are commonly packed by the manufacturerdirectly in the boxes in which the are sold to the ultimate consumer andwhi ethe box is primarily intended as a shipping receptacle,

and for this purpose must e cheap to construct, light in weight, andhighly resistant to crushing in order adequately to protect its contentsfrom injury, the retail trade and the ultimate consumer, demand linlmany cases (as for example when the enclosed article is intended as aift), that such boxes be of highly ornamenta character.

In order to enhance the appearance of such boxes, which are usually madeot-card-v board or similar material,'covered with ornamental paper,silk, leather or velvet, they are frequently provided with upwardlyconvex covers, the convexity being produced by the insertion of paddingbetween the top of the cover proper and the ornamental coveringmaterial, while the bottoms of the boxes as well as the covers areusually provided with extensions, that' is to say, the bottoms andcovers extend outwardly in the form of flanges or lips beyond the sidesof the boxes. The application of padding to the cover is a slow andexpensive-process while the production of extension edges requires adouble .thickness of material in the top and bottom and in most casesalso necessitates hand operation.

In accordance with the present invention, I have devised a novel type ofbox andja method of making the same which enables the manufacturer toproduce a box having extension edges and a top which simulates the handmade padded top without substantial waste of material and withsubstantially no more labor than is required in making a plain coveredbox.- In the accompanying drawings a referred forni of the inventionis-illustrate by way of example, together with certain modificationsthereof.

In the drawin Fig. 1 is a si e elevation cfa box constructed inaccordance with the present` invention;

Fig. 2 is a vertical section to larger scale on the lines 2--2of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary section similar to that of Fig. 2, lllustratingamodified construction;

lustrating a still further modification; i

Fig. 5 is'a pers ective view to small scale showlng a strip o materialadapted to form a side wall of one of the box parts; and

Fig., 6 is a plan view of a plate adapted 65 4,to form the bottom of thebox body or the topof the cover.

eferring to the drawings, the numeral 1 designates the improved boxcomprising a cover and a body or bottom portion having an extensionedge3.

In accordance with the present invention the irst step in making the boxconsists in 'providing a pair of plates 4 stantially equal size adaptedto form` the bottom of the box bodyand the top of the .over. These`plates may be cut from suitable sheet material for example sheet steel,

celluloid, etc. by a punching or stamping operation and are of a contourcorresponding to that of the box to be made, that isto say, if the boxbe rectangular as herein shown, these plates will be rectangular inform. whereas if the box is to be-o circular 85 or other shape,correspondingly.

y' .Either after or simultaneously with the cuttin of these plates 4,their .edges are' the plates will be shaped tur-ne up to formmarginallianges, as in- 9u dicated at 5, having inner edges 6.

AReferring more particularly to Fig. 2,

the plate 4 which forms the bottom o the box body is furnished 'with amarginal flange 5a which is inclined 1nwardl Aand upwardly; 95

similarly the plate 4b whic forms the top member of the cover isprovided with an inwardly inclined downwardly directed flange 5b, thematerial of which these plates are/y made being of such stiffness thatthese' langres 100 retain the1rshape vafter being o formed.

provide an upwardly convex top for the cover, the plate 4b is dishedduring the cutting or punching operation so that its outerk surface 1sconvex and its inner surface con'- 105 cave.

In the form of box telescopes over the side walls of the body portion,although the reverse -arrangement might be employed if desired and bslight and obvious modifications hereina r reerred to, the outer'surfaces of the walls Fig. 4 is 'another fragmentary section il- 60furnished with an extension edge2 '70 (Fig. 6) of sub- 75 herein shownthe cover This strip 7b may be scored at the points 8,-

provided the box is of angular contour, so that the strip can readily bebent at the proper points to permit it to be fitted within the edge' ofthe flange 5b. When so bent, the strip 7b is seated within the spacedefined by the edge 6a ofthe flange, the'edge of the strip bearingagainst the inner surface of the plate 4*.

A pieceof sheet material C, for example,

Y ornamental paper, leather, velvet or the like,

and of proper shape is now placed upon the i convex outer surface of theplate 4b and if desired cemented directly thereto. The marginal portionsof the piece of material are then carried over the outer surface of theflange 5 to which it may be cemented and over the outer surface of theWall member. The edges ofthis covering material are then turnedIinwardly at the point 9 and laid smoothly against Ithe inner surface ofthe wall member as indicated at 10. A piece 11 of suitable material isnow applied to the inner surface of plate 4b to give it a finishedappearance. The sheet material C may be attached throughout its entirearea to the parts with which it engages by means of any suitableadhesive, or if desired certain parts of it may be left free ofattachment,for example, it may b e desired to omit the application ofcement to that part of the covering material which is exposed to view,particularly if such material be of a delicate character such that itsappearance might be injured by the application of adhesive.

In making the body of the box substantially the same steps are followedexceptthat as a preliminary to assembling the wall member 7 with thebottom member llaa rovided which is seated,

spacer strip 1,2 is against the inner e ge of the flange 5' of thebottom plate 4B. vThis spacer strip 12 may be formed of cardboard ofsuitable length and preferably of a width such that when its lower vedgeis seated upon the inner surface of the plate 4 its upper edge will beflush with the upper edge of the flange 5a. This l spacer member ispreferably of a thickness substantially equalto the thickness of theside wall of the cover and serves to space the side wall 7a of the bodyof the box from the edge of the flange 5", to permit the wall of thecover to telescope over the wall of the body. This wall member 7a is ofvany suitable -width and extends around the entire inner periphery ofthe spacer strip 12, to

which it `may be attached if desired by ad-` `over the outer surfaces ofthe Hangs 5 andY the wall member 7a and are then turned down insidel ofthe wall member 7Il as indicated at 14, such portion .of this coveringas may be desired being cemented to the surface with which it engages.Suitable covering material 15 is then applied to the inner surface ofthe plate 4a.

The covering material in each case thus forms a binder for holdingtheparts of the cover and of the box body respectively in proper assembledrelation and it will be observed that the cover consists of. but twoelements in addition to the covering material while the box bodycomprises but three elements, namely, the bottom plate, the spacer, andthe side wall, in addition to the sheet of covering'material.

While the box parts thus consist of a minimum number of elements, thebox has the external appearance of an extension edge padded top box ofexpensive character, although it may be made at extremely low cost. Atthe same time since the top and bottom plates may readily be made ofVery strong vmater1al such, for example, as sheet steel,`sheet Celluloidor the like the box is capable of withstanding heavy crushing strainswithout breaking and Without danger of injury to its contents.Obviously, the side Walls of the box and cover may be made of material.similar to that of the top and' bottom plates if desired, althoughunder ordinary circumstances, cardboard provides sulicient strength atthis part of the box and is preferable in some instances by reason ofthe ease with which the covering material may be cemented thereto.

The box thus formed is very light in' Weight while the method ofprocedure herein outlined is applicable to boxes of substantially anyshape and size. Such boxes moreover, may b e made of much greater depththan would be possible by punching or stamping operation in which theside walls of the box are made integral with the \top and bottom, sincein accordance with the latter process, the depth of the side walls islimited by the capability of the sheet mateial to flow without rupturebetween the les. v

In Fig. 3, Aa modified arrangement is shown, in which the bottom plate14 is provided Wi-th a marginal flange 15 projectingl upwardlysubstantially at right angles to the plane of the plate proper. A spacerstripv 15 and a wall strip 17` ts against the inner surface of thespacer. `The bottom plate spacer and wall strip are held in assembledrelation by the covering material 18 which conceals the under surface ofthe plate 14 and extends upwardly over the outer surface of the flangeand wall member and down against the inner surface of the latter. Theupper face of the bottom late 14 may also be covered with suitable s eetmaterial 1.9 of any desired character.

In this case theA extension edge is not so pronounced as in the firstcase and in fact if the wall member of the corresponding cover, notshown, be of suitable thickness, the outer face of the cover will lie inthe same plane as the outer surface of the bottom portion of the boxbody, which may be found desirable under some circumstances.

In Fig. 4, a further modification is illustrated in which the bottomplate 24 is furnished' with a curved upstanding marginal flange 25.Aspacer 26 and wall member 27 are held in proper assembled relation withthe plate 24 by means of the covering material 28. The inner surface ofthe plate 24 may also be concealed by means of suitable coveringmaterial 29.

While Figs. 3 and 4 show modified constructions of the box body only, itis obvious that the cover may be made to have a corre-- spendinglexternal' appearance if desired, while it is also clear that the samegeneral mode of manufacture herein disclosed it applicable to boxeshaving at, concave or intricately embossed covers.

I claim:

. Vl. That method of making a box part havin an extension, edge whichlcomprises provi 'ng a plate of stiff and strong sheet material having abent marginal flange Whose inner'edge has a contour of substantially thedesired shape and size of the outer surface of the side wall of said boxpart, arranging a wall member within said flange', applying a sheet ofcovering material to the outer surface of the plate and to the outerface of said wall member, turning the edges of said covering sheetinover the edges of said wall member, and cementing the inturned ed es ofthefcovering material to the inner surfgace of said wall member.

2. That method of making boxes which comprises forming aplate fromstrong and stiff sheet material, said plate having a bent marginalHange, preparing a strip of sheet material of a thickness substantiallyequal-to the desired thickness of the box wall, of a width substantiallye ual to the distance between the free edge o the flangev and the innersurface of the plate, and of a length equal to the peripheral "extent ofthe inner edge of the flange, setting such strip on edge within theiange, preparing a second strip of sheet material of desired width andproper thickness to form the box Wall, and of a length substantiallyequal to the peripheral extent of the inner surface of the first strip,setting said second strip on edge within the first strip, and bindingsaid strips in place by means ofv a sheet of coveringmaterial adheringto the strip and covering the outer surface of the plate.

3. That method of making a box cover which comprises forming a platsfrom thin, stiff and strong sheet material, said plate bemg upwardlyconvex'and having a dependmg marginal flange, `preparing a strip ofstiff sheet material of a length substantially egual to the peripheralextent of the inner. e ge of the flange ofthe plate and of a widthsubstantially equal to the desired depth of the cover wall, placing suchstrip on edge within the iange of said plate, applying a covering sheetto the convex surface of the plate and to the outer surface of the stripand securing the covering sheet to the strip.

. 4. That method of-malring covered boxes which comprises providing twoplates of sti sheet material of the same size and each having aninwardly bent marginal flange, preparing strips of stiff sheet materialof proper width to form the walls of the box body and coverrespectively, arranging the respective strips on edge within themarginal flanges of the respective plates, insertlng a spacer to spacethe strip which is to form the "wall of the box body from the inner edgeof its fiange by a distance substantially. equal to the thickness of thestrip forming the wall of the cover, and binding the cover and body wallstrips to their respective plates by means of sheet material coveringthe outer faces of the plates and cemented to the respective strips. 5.A box part comprising a thin sti plate having a bent marginal flange, avertical Wall member disposed within the inner edge of the flange, and apiece of sheet material extending over the outer surface of the plateand the outer surfaces of the flange and wall member and adhering to thelatter to hold the plate and wall member in assembled relation.v

6. A box body comprising a flat bottom llio plate of-thin sti sheetmaterial having an vinwardly and u wardly inclined' marginal flange, astrip o sheet material of a length substantially e ual to the peripheralextent i of the inner e ge of said flange and of a width substantia lyequal to the distance bep tween the edge of said flange andthe innersurface of the bottom plate, said strip standing on edge on said innersurface and bearing `against the flan e, a wall of sheet material o awidth equa to the desired depth of the box body 'standing on ed e on theinner facev of the bottom plate and caring 'against the inner surface ofthe spacer strip, and a piece of sheet material coverngythe outersurface lgs of' the bottom late, its flange, and the outer and inner suraces of the wall member and binding the parts together.

7. An extension edge box cover having a convex upper surface and aconcave inner surface consisting of one piece of sheet metal, a strip ofcardboard forming the side wall of the cover disposed with its edgeagainst the inner surface of the top plate, and a sheet of decorativecovering material for binding the top member and wall striptogetlier.

8. A box cover comprising an upwardly convex top plate of thin stiffmaterial having a downwardly and inwardly directed mai'- ginal flange, astrip of sheet material constituting a wall member bearing against theinner edge of said flange, and a piece of sheet material covering theupper surface of the to-p plate and the outer surface of the flange andWall member, and having its inner margin turned over against the innersurface of the wall member and cemented thereto.

9. A box having a cover and a body, the top member of the cover and thebottom of the body being of equal size and each consisting of a plate ofsheet metal having an inwardly directed marginal flange, wall membersfor the cover and body respectively each wall member consisting of .astrip of cardboard of suitable width, the wall member for one of saidparts being spaced inwardly from the inner edge of the flange of itsrespective metal plate and the wall member of the other part bearingdirectlv against the inner edge of the flange of its respective plate,and sheet material binding the wall members to their respective platesand covering the outer surfaces Aof the wall members and plates.

Signed by me at Attleboro, Massachusetts, this first day of June,.1925.

RUSSELL I. RHODES.

